I wanted to start a thread for all of the people who are waiting for the November ANC selection board, specifically if you have/waiting on the M5 identifier for Emergency Nursing. I thought we could suffer together and update each other while we wait. You are welcome to post if you have another specialty or none at all.
My status:
I have submitted all documents, and waiting on M5 identifier approval, physical approval and for the packet to make it past QA.
Specializes in Pediatrics, home health, travel nurse.
So I've been reading everybody's post and now i'm just further more confused. I am a pediatric nurse/travel nurse and home health nurse. So peds doesnt have an identifier in the army so i would be grouped in with the 66Hs. My packet is in the process to be submitted for the reserves with the plan of going active within 3 years once i have my FNP. But after reading the process that everyone has gone through i have lately had a change of heart and think i'll be calling my recruiter tomorrow to change my status to active duty...will this be a problem?...how ticked will my recruiter be?...and where is my competition?...i wanna size you up:D
So I've been reading everybody's post and now i'm just further more confused. I am a pediatric nurse/travel nurse and home health nurse. So peds doesnt have an identifier in the army so i would be grouped in with the 66Hs. My packet is in the process to be submitted for the reserves with the plan of going active within 3 years once i have my FNP. But after reading the process that everyone has gone through i have lately had a change of heart and think i'll be calling my recruiter tomorrow to change my status to active duty...will this be a problem?...how ticked will my recruiter be?...and where is my competition?...i wanna size you up:D
*Verify this with your recruiter*
The only active duty board for FY 11 is in November. I think there are a few additional forms that are needed to add that would change your application to active duty. If this can be done in quickly enough, you can have you packet sent to the board this year. If you choose to continue in the Reserve and then go active, you will have to submit a new packet (with additional supporting documents, letters of rec, etc.) when ever you decide to go active. Keep in mind that any bonuses, loan repayment, incentive pay could be affected when you transfer from reserve to active. Additionally, consider your age. The retirement calculation for Reserve/Active is done differently.
Your recruiter's emotions about your change is a moot point. This is your life/career, so the only opinion that really matters is yours. You need to do this for the right reasons. I would not want you to be disgruntled after joining because Active Duty was not what you expected it to be.
Sizing up the people on this message board would be a misrepresentation of your cohort of competitors. There are new grads and experienced nurses ranging from novice to expert all over the country that are submitting packets. There are so many different combinations of experiences we would need a dedicated website to support all of the credentials LOL.
So my point is you can only concentrate on making yourself be an attractive candidate through strong letters of reference, grades, work history etc. Trying to one up everyone that may be submitting a packet would drive you crazy!
Specializes in ED, ICU, MS/MT, PCU, CM, House Sup, Frontline mgr.
so i've been reading everybody's post and now i'm just further more confused. i am a pediatric nurse/travel nurse and home health nurse. so peds doesnt have an identifier in the army so i would be grouped in with the 66hs. my packet is in the process to be submitted for the reserves with the plan of going active within 3 years once i have my fnp. but after reading the process that everyone has gone through i have lately had a change of heart and think i'll be calling my recruiter tomorrow to change my status to active duty...will this be a problem?...how ticked will my recruiter be?...and where is my competition?...i wanna size you up:d
also to add to traumarn1908, we are not sizing each other up. we are here to support each other and share information. most of us have worked on our packets for over a year due to the delays and changes made by the army regarding our si. thus, we formed a group to be of assistance to each other.
btw, your original plan to join the reserves while attending school is not a bad plan. for those of us who only wanted to go active it is a bad plan. speaking for myself, i had no plan to spend more then a year in the reserves when i was considering that route so it was a waste of my time and effort to join the reserves. if i had planned 3-4 years while attending school, then it would not have been a problem because i would have signed a small commitment contract, completed the contract and school, and then join active duty.
you really need to figure out what it is you want to do with your life and career now to properly assess which branch fits into your lifestyle. for instance, while attending school on active duty, school comes last unless you are in some special graduate program through the army that will allow you to put school first (i forgot the name of the programs available to nurses because i do not plan to apply to graduate or professional schools for another 3-5 years). gl!
RNburnout, I was under the impression the only board for nurses without special identifiers was in October. If your packet is going to go forward for AD instead of reserves, time is of the essence -- hustle!! :) Good luck, let us know what happens!!
Lunah, I knew I could count on you to keep us up to speed.
RNburnout this is the best example of what this board is for... 1 poster asks a question, another poster answers, and all other posters, correct, or add:twocents: We all want each other to get picked up, and we share info to keep ourselves in the loop. There are good and bad recruiters out there and we all need to be informed.
Specializes in Pediatrics, home health, travel nurse.
Lunah...My identifier will be med-surg since i've worked peds med-surg and IMC. Two different recruiters in two entirely different states under two different commands did however state that if i did get in i could possibly keep my status as a peds nurse but it would be up to my commanding officer, the needs of the army and where i was stationed at. So I am being submitted as a 66H. And yes my ultimate goal is to get my MSN but I'm in an online program that is self paced so im hoping that it may be possible with determination, ice coffee and sleepless nights. Whatever happens i know i want to be in the army so if i dont get in as an RN i'll give it a try in 2 yrs as a FNP.
The special identifiers to which I was referring only apply to ER, ICU, L&D, OR, etc ... for example, ER is M5, ICU is 8A. Med-surg is 66H, and isn't really considered a special identifier, but is your designation. As I said, I was under the impression that 66H candidates would be considered in October, and those of us with identifiers like M5 or 8A would be considered in November. My recruiter wanted to ensure my packet was ready by October because her boss said they might start to look at those of us with special identifiers in October, but it would be more likely that my packet would go in November.
Totally hearsay, of course. My recruiter takes all info with a grain of salt herself!
The special identifiers to which I was referring only apply to ER, ICU, L&D, OR, etc ... for example, ER is M5, ICU is 8A. Med-surg is 66H, and isn't really considered a special identifier, but is your designation. As I said, I was under the impression that 66H candidates would be considered in October, and those of us with identifiers like M5 or 8A would be considered in November. My recruiter wanted to ensure my packet was ready by October because her boss said they might start to look at those of us with special identifiers in October, but it would be more likely that my packet would go in November.
Totally hearsay, of course. My recruiter takes all info with a grain of salt herself!
my recruiter told me that the Oct board was for reserve components and that all active duty packets go to the Nov Board. This includes Nurse Candidate Program Applicants (which is the category I fall in).
I feel everyone's pain. I have had my packet completed and waiting for board almost a year now (I have gone through 3 recruiters in the process). I got a call from my new recruiter yesterday wanting to know where I did my physical because he did not have all the paperwork! Come on, really? Now you find this out, a few weeks before boards? Luckily I did the physical at MEPS, so it is just a matter of him getting down there and picking up the file.
Hey guys! Wow, I swore I would never look at another message board after I got into nursing school and now here I am again... Anyway, I've been reading through all of your posts and I was wondering if anyone knows if, as a new nurse (actually still in school), I have a shot at getting a slot this year. I'm still waiting on my medical clearance (stupid me said a little too much in her exam) but my packet is all ready to be submitted. But what I am really wondering is this, I am a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer (who even extended), and I was wondering if that'll bump up my points at all. Hey, we say the same oath... Thanks, and good luck to everyone!
Despite quoting AR 140-10 to my recruiter, my Commander, and the civilian processing my Conditional Release, I haven't gotten anywhere and feel that because I'm rocking the boat so to speak I am only impeding my progress and potential submission to the board in Nov. I can't even begin to express how ticked off I am. My unit has me filling out paperwork that the Regs specifically state are for the Army National Guard. Are you kidding me?!?! I guess they're hoping that I can't read and will just go with the flow. If I don't make it to the boards in November I think all of you will hear my voice all over the world!!! LOL!!!
Has anyone else been in the Reserves and switched to Active Duty? If so, please fill me in on the process that you entailed. I would love to compare.
My recruiter takes all info with a grain of salt herself!
Come on, really? Now you find this out, a few weeks before boards? Luckily I did the physical at MEPS, so it is just a matter of him getting down there and picking up the file.
Lunah, MSN, RN
14 Articles; 13,773 Posts
Wow ... I am so sorry, New1LT. I have no advice, just major *hugs* ... please keep us posted, and don't give up!!